HIFIMAN EF600 Desktop R2R DAC/Amp Headphone Stand

[analogue]

There is a new HIFIMAN EF600 desktop DAC/Amp available for preorder: https://apos.audio/products/hifiman-ef600-desktop-dac-amp

The TLDR; is:

• Shaped like a headphone stand
• 2x R2R Ladder DAC
• It's an EF400 with a different shape, 2 DAC chips, and more input
• More inputs than the EF400s USB, (RCA, Bluetooth, XLR)

The speech:

The world’s first DAC +Amp + Headphone stand​

The unique design of the EF600 serves more than aesthetic purposes: it’s also a functional headphone stand. This space-saving feature allows you to stow your favorite pair of headphones directly on the EF600, eliminating the need for a separate headphone stand.

R2R Ladder DAC​

Unlike most DACs on the market, which use “Sigma” D/A chips from companies like ESS and AKM, the EF600 uses a “ladder” method to convert the digital signal from your computer into the analog signal you hear in your headphones. This approach uses an array of highly accurate resistors for tremendous musicality.

HD Bluetooth ​

With Bluetooth, wirelessly connect a phone, laptop, tablet, or streamer to the EF600 and enjoy hi-def codecs like LDAC, which deliver lossless sound reproduction for audiophile-grade sonics.

RCA + XLR inputs​

Connect a turntable, CD or SACD player, and enjoy the EF600 as a high-performance headphone amplifier that’s fully compatible with most players via RCA and XLR.

Massive 5W per channel output power ​

Power will never be a problem with this DAC/Amp. Delivering 5 watts per channel @32Ω, the EF600 can drive the vast majority of low-efficiency planar headphones, including the HIFIMAN Susvara.

Balanced + S/E outputs​

You’ll find four balanced outputs on the front panel: 6.35mm single-ended, 3.5mm single-ended, 4.4mm balanced, and XLR four-pin balanced.

Product highlights​

• R2R ladder DAC
• 5 Watt per channel headphone amplifier
• Doubles as a headphone stand
• HD Bluetooth codecs including LDAC
• RCA + XLR inputs
• Multiple headphone outputs, including balanced and single-ended

Specs​

• Outputs: 6.3mm single-ended, XLR four-pin balanced, dual (L/R) XLR three-pin full balanced line outputs
• Rear inputs: RCA, USB-B, and USB-C source connectors
• Signal-to-noise ratio: 118dB (weighted)
• Channel separation: 131+/-3dB
• THD+N (line out): 0.0014% (-8dB)
• Maximum power output: 5.12 Watts per channel @32 ohm balanced/1.8 Watts per channel @32 ohm
• Dimensions: 104mm/4” x 135mm/5 1/4” (top); 104mm/4” x 165mm/6 1/2” (bottom) ; 283mm/11”(height)

Pictures:

 

[Chester]

The world’s first DAC +Amp + Headphone stand​

I’m not sure it is the first, didn’t Auralic have one of these on the market a few years back?

 

[staticV3]

Yeah and what about the Smyth A16?


Heck, even this is a DAC + Amp + Headphone stand:

 

[ThatGuyYouKnow]

XLR and two USB inputs is a nice touch for the price. Looking forward to see how it performs.

 

[jlimo]

I have one & would be happy to ship it to someone capable of review/measurements

 

[Jimbob54]

If its the EF400 in a different case, save your pennies.

 

[fpitas]

It all makes sense except an R2R DAC. Suddenly it's 1990?

 

[Giulio]

I have one & would be happy to ship it to someone capable of review/measurements

Send it to Amir:

We measure audio equipment for free!!!

Yes, you read the title right. If you have audio gear that you like to see objectively measured with professional equipment, we (I) may be interested in doing that for you and our readers. There is so little objective data on equipment today. Even if you are not an "objectivists" it pays to...

www.audiosciencereview.com

 

[IAtaman]

I have one & would be happy to ship it to someone capable of review/measurements

Any particular reviewer in mind?

 

[unpluggged]

It all makes sense except an R2R DAC. Suddenly it's 1990?

More like 1950s. And the form factor itself is not very practical, IMO. I don't want a DAC/AMP at the spot where I stow my headphones, and vice versa.

 

[Dialectic]

Thank God for the ladder DAC

 

[Giulio]

Thank God for the ladder DAC

It will be interesting to see how it measure

 

[Snoopy]

SERENADE

<p><strong style="font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #0000ff;"><img title="Serenade" src="https://hifiman.com/attachments/image/20230831/20230831101932_29198.jpg" alt="Serenade" width="790" height="9849" /></span></strong></p>

store.hifiman.com

This one looks a bit more promising but it's still R2R.

My EF400 had transformer hum and static noise when inputting 192khz with roon. With OS and NOS.

It was really to bad.. the sound was alright even if it probably didn't measure as good as a Ares but built quality looked at least nice, the headphone amp was as powerful as you could probably wish. It's really to bad that they used the cheapest Chinese parts they could find instead of some quality components.

And the implementation of the USB interface and R2R DAC was probably mediocre at best.


Really did want to keep the EF400 but the static noise and transformer hum was pretty bad. And when I saw pictures of the parts used I definitely lost interest in the Brand.

 

[Bass Face]

Hello All
In a bit of a pickle.

I started my DAC journey with the ifi zen DAC signature v2. It’s the one with only one balanced out. I have two Tannoy 8 powered speakers attached to it. This setup sounded absolutely amazing only when the zen wasn’t doing strange things. The zen was very unreliable. It would just do very strange things but when working I loved how it all sounded.

Got the itch again and wanted headphones to complete my setup. Ended going for the Focal Clear MG. In addition, got the EF600. This setup thus far is very reliable. The 600 does very well with the Focals. But with the tannoys there is something left to be desired. I genuinely miss the MQA decoding from Tidal. I’m still trying to process why the zen to me sounded better as a DAC. But I love the reliability of the 600. Should I return the 600? Any input is appreciated.

 

[Zardozz]

For the EF400 I had heard somewhere something about the DAC portion doing something out of phase. Not like 180 but somewhat slightly, I think it was Golden Sound who reported it. I don't know how true it is but nor do I know it's false. This has made me scared of all "Himalaya" and other DACs in the Hifiman line and I think some real measures on these could be quite useful. Because the EF600 and 1000 might potentially be really good pairing for planar headphones.

EDIT: I remember a little better now. I think it was that one channel is exactly one cycle behind the other channel.

 

[Zardozz]

Hello All
In a bit of a pickle.

I started my DAC journey with the ifi zen DAC signature v2. It’s the one with only one balanced out. I have two Tannoy 8 powered speakers attached to it. This setup sounded absolutely amazing only when the zen wasn’t doing strange things. The zen was very unreliable. It would just do very strange things but when working I loved how it all sounded.

Got the itch again and wanted headphones to complete my setup. Ended going for the Focal Clear MG. In addition, got the EF600. This setup thus far is very reliable. The 600 does very well with the Focals. But with the tannoys there is something left to be desired. I genuinely miss the MQA decoding from Tidal. I’m still trying to process why the zen to me sounded better as a DAC. But I love the reliability of the 600. Should I return the 600? Any input is appreciated.

No one but you can make that decision. But I can tell you what I'd do in the same circumstance, I guess?

Let's see, I just paid WAY more for the EF600 and it doesn't sound as good to me as the cheap Zen Dac. Hmm, the only reason I wouldn't ditch the EF600 right away is because how badly I want to like it, since it looks so pretty and has ergonomic functionality as a nice headphone stand for the Focals. This is where I beat myself up and say "that's a bad reason, I'm going to return it." But then I catch myself when I realize that TIDAL is phasing out MQA anyway. Now I'm not so sure. Was it MQA I liked more, or was it something in the Burr-Brown vs. Himalaya DACs? Or is it something even simpler like some kind of synergy in the impedance matching of amp to headphones?

Then, talking to myself, I'd tell myself to do some longer tests, switching out every hour or so, trying to get an idea what it is I'm missing. How much of it is the MQA vs. just the Burr-Brown implementation in the dac, or some other thing? It could just be you like the iFi house sound more, in which case the upgrade path is pretty clear.